1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for processing image information which includes information related to a capturing location.
2. Description of the Related Art
There are proposed techniques for adding information related to a capturing location to image information obtained by an imaging device having a GPS function such as a digital camera. The image information with the information on the capturing location can be used for various applications using the capturing location. This usage of the image information draws attention as a new way to have fun with the image information.
On the other hand, images taken by individuals are often put on or posted in Internet websites, blogs or the like to be open to the public. At the same time, the capturing location may be also open to the public, although it is private information that should not be leaked to the public in some cases (e.g., in a case where the capturing location reveals the address). Therefore, a technique is described in JP-A-2009-225229, for example, which can prevent leaking of the information on the capturing location added to the image information by encrypting the information on the capturing location and the like.
JP-A-2009-225229 describes that the information on the capturing location and the like is encrypted based on the capturing condition and is then stored. However, the technique has problems that the capturing condition is not clear and that the status of the image information is fixed at the time of image capturing. For example, the same image information may be put in a private album in a privately-used personal computer and be also open to public by being put in an Internet website or blog. Therefore, in case of using the image information in different ways as described above, if it is determined whether or not the information is to be encrypted based on the capturing condition at the time of image capturing, convenience may be reduced.
Moreover, “encryption” is one of effective ways of preventing leaking of information, but there still remains the possibility that the encrypted information can be analyzed, that is, there remains risk of leaking of the contents. Therefore, even the encrypted information should not be added in some usages of the image information. However, this cannot be predicted or determined at the time of image capturing. Also, even if determination on the encryption is made at the time of image capturing, that determination may be wanted to be changed later or may be forgotten so that the information is open to public by mistake.
Moreover, the image information created with a digital camera is transferred to an external device, e.g., a personal computer, and is then made viewable, for example, in many cases. In those cases, the image information encrypted in the digital camera requires a dedicated decryption program provided in the device to which the encrypted image information is transferred. This lowers versatility of the image information.